Christian Printer Punished by the Gov’t for Refusing to Print Gay Pride T-Shirts Just Scored a Major Victory

A Christian printer who was previously found guilty of
discrimination for refusing to print T-shirts for a gay pride parade won
big Monday after a court ruled that he can decline to print messages
that run in opposition to his religious views.The Fayette County Circuit Court’s ruling overturned a previous
decision by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission,
finding that Blaine Adamson, owner of Lexington printing company Hands
On Originals, was within his rights when he declined to make shirts for
the Lexington Pride Parade, according to a release from Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal firm.The court found that Adamson did not violate the law in citing his
religious convictions as the reason for the refusal, and that his
decision was based on his personal freedom not to be forced or coerced
to print messages that contradict his views.“The court rightly recognized that the law protects Blaine’s decision
not to print shirts with messages that conflict with his beliefs, and
that no sufficient reason exists for the government to coerce Blaine to
act against his conscience in this way,” Alliance Defending Freedom
attorney Jim Campbell said in a statement.He added, “In short, [Hands On Originals'] declination to print the
shirts was based upon the message of [Gay and Lesbian Services
Organization of Lexington] and the Pride Festival and not on the sexual
orientation of its representatives or members.”As TheBlaze previously reported,
Adamson’s case began when he refused service to the Gay and Lesbian
Services Organization of Lexington and the organization subsequently
filed a complaint against Hands on Originals in March 2012, alleging
that he had discriminated based on sexual orientation.But Adamson and his attorneys consistently argued that Hands on
Originals is a Christian business and that the views presented on the
T-shirts — which advertised a gay pride festival — violated his
religious beliefs; these arguments were initially dismissed.Greg Munson of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission announced last fall that
Hands on Originals discriminated against the Gay and Lesbian Services
Organization of Lexington when it refused to print the shirts. A
recommended ruling at the time called for Hands On Originals to take two
specific actions.“First is don’t discriminate against individuals because of gender
identity or sexuality,” Campbell told TheBlaze at the time. “If someone
else from [Gay and Lesbian Services Organization of Lexington] comes to
you for the pride festival, you have to [print again in the future if
asked].”The second demand was that at least some staffers at Hands on
Originals — a company with around 30 employees — would need to
participate in diversity training within the next 12 months. Campbell
did note that Hands On Originals has both employed and served gays and
lesbians, but that when it comes to the messages presented on products,
Adamson draws a line.“Blaine’s position is that he can’t print something if it conflicts
with religious convictions,” Campbell said. “Over the two years leading
up to this case, Hands On Originals had denied at least 13 orders all
for the reason [that] they didn’t want to print and convey the message
they were being asked to convey.”He said that one of these orders was actually from a Christian
organization — a T-shirt that had a blood design on it; Adamson felt
that it was too racy, so he declined it.In arguing for Adamson’s rights, Alliance Defending Freedom has
raised another related issue: if Christians like Adamson are forced to
print shirts that violate their religious beliefs, this would also mean
that gay and lesbian-owned businesses will be forced to print messages
from groups that they, too, disagree with — something the firm believes
violates the First Amendment.“In America, we don’t force people to express messages that are
contrary to their convictions,” Adamson‘s co-counsel
Bryan Beauman of Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC said
last year. “America should not be a place where people who identify as
homosexual are forced to promote groups like the Westboro Baptists and
where printers with sincere religious convictions are forced to promote
the message of the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization.”This is the very issue that was also raised last year by
Kathy Trautvetter and Diane DiGeloromo, a lesbian couple who own and
operate BMP T-shirts, a New Jersey-based printing company.Trautvetter told TheBlaze that she and DiGeloromo — who spoke with TheBlaze.com and appeared onThe Glenn Beck Program —
launched their part-time business back in 2003 when they began doing
graphic design and visual arts work for gay pride events.Despite disagreeing on the finer details surrounding homosexuality,
they support Adamson’s right to defend his Christian views and his
business.“The idea is that when you own your own business, it’s your own art
and creation — it’s very personal … it takes a long time to build a
business,” Trautvetter said. “When someone wants to force you to go
against it — that’s what stuck me right in the heart. I really felt for
Blaine.”

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Ambassador T. Brikins is a Writer Blogger, Mass Communications Consultant and Inforpreneur having experiences in the National News Media, Oil and Gas, Administration, University and the Church of Christ..
He is C.E.O. @ New Direction Communications..
He is an ordained Minister and heavily imparted by Dr. David Oyedepo, Pastor E.A.Adeboye, Rev.Roselyn Oduyemi, Kenneth Copeland,Dr. D.Yongi Cho, Apostle Alex Bamgbola, Kenneth E. Hagin, Apostle G. Oduyemi, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, T.L. Osborn,Dr. E.W. Kenyon , Oral Roberts and many more.
Ambassador T. Brikins runs with the visions of Isaiah 11:9; Matthew 23:23 and 11 Corinthians 5:16-21 working with the Lord for their practical expressions in every area of life. .
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